Written Answers Wednesday 19 October 2005

Scottish Executive

Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 19 to 20 September 2005.

Ross Finnie: I attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 19 and 20 September 2005, together with Margaret Beckett, Ben Bradshaw and Jim Knight.

  Two Environment Council matters were included on the agenda in the absence of a meeting of Environment Ministers within the relevant deadlines. These were taken as "B" points at the request of Denmark. On the first, the Council was unable to act on the Commission’s proposal on a GM maize authorisation due to the absence of a qualified majority in favour or against. On the second, however, the Council did adopt a Decision amending Annex II of Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on end-of-life vehicles.

  On Agriculture, Poland requested the Commission remove surplus cereal production from the Countries of Central Europe through the use of free market tenders rather than intervention storage. Austria suggested that the intervention criteria for grains be adjusted to respond to difficulties caused by bad weather this year. The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary supported both requests. The Commission were aware of the serious situation and said they had made every effort within the rules to ease it.

  Italy, supported by France, Greece, Spain, Poland, Hungary, Cyprus and Portugal, drew the Commission’s attention to the crises in its wine and fruit and vegetables markets, caused by drops in price. They asked for a further increase in the quantity of crisis distillation and called for the Commission to present its proposals on crisis management as soon as possible. The Agriculture Commissioner explained that they were considering options. They were planning a reform of the fresh and processed fruit and vegetables sectors for the second half of 2006.

  On wine, the Commissioner explained that the Management committee of 6 September had given a favourable opinion on the opening of crisis distillation for table wine in Italy. A reform of the wine CMO would be launched in 2006.

  The Czech Republic, supported by Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Cyprus and Slovakia, requested a derogation from the CAP reform regulation which would allow them to make payments under the single area payment scheme (SAPS) earlier than 1 December. The Commission explained that there was no legal basis for an earlier payment date this year, unless in the case of an emergency.

  The Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection gave an update on the situation on Avian Influenza in south East Asia and Russia and on the actions taken and planned.

  The Agriculture Commissioner provided the Council with an update on the state of play of the World Trade Organization Negotiations.

  On Fisheries, in a frontloading exercise ahead of December Council, ministers held an exchange of views on the Presidency discussion paper concerning the options and principles for enhancing stock recovery measures. Most member states stressed that decisions should only be taken on the basis of sound and updated science. However, there was a general opinion that closed areas would not be effective in helping cod recovery and that current management arrangements should be given the chance to work.

  Under any other business, the Commission gave a short presentation on methods being considered to help the industry with high fuel prices. The Commission was against subsidising vessels running costs, but did remind member states that money from the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance could be used to give vessels tie up aid or subsidise the purchase of more fuel efficient gear. In the long-term many member states supported the use of more fuel efficient engines and renewable energy. Member states noted the presentation.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14661 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 March 2005, what evidence has been obtained from the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill consultation on the impact of interposed leases.

Rhona Brankin: The evidence we have received is contained in the responses to the consultation. These are available on the website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/09/08115214 .

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14661 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 March 2005, what action it will take on leases or any other legal devices which might be thought to impede crofting community bodies in exercising their right to buy under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: I have not yet reached a decision on what action will be taken. My officials are currently advising me as to the options available to me. I hope to reach a decision shortly.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to base Crofters Commission staff in crofting areas other than Inverness.

Rhona Brankin: Although the staff of the Crofters Commission are based mainly in Inverness, there are several staff based in outlying areas of the Crofting Counties. Many of the day-to-day functions of the Crofters Commission are carried out on behalf of the commission by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) staff in the area and sub–area offices throughout the Highlands and Islands. There are currently no plans to change these arrangements.

  It is expected that the management of the SEERAD unit based in Tiree (nine posts) will transfer to the Crofters Commission by the end of this year.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the role is of assessors appointed by the board of the Crofters Commission.

Rhona Brankin: Area Assessors act as a valuable resource of information to both the Crofters Commission and their local communities. Assessors are appointed to provide advice to the commission on policy development, local issues, assisting in the assessment of demand for crofts and monitoring levels of absenteeism. The role of the assessor is changing as the commission moves towards full non-departmental public body status.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what regulatory functions the Crofters Commission would have in respect of proposals to develop area-based policies, as provided for in the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Rhona Brankin: The intention is that the bill will empower the Crofters Commission to develop, in conjunction with crofting communities in different areas, policies to suit local circumstances in these areas and also empower it to apply these policies when making regulatory decisions in relation to these areas. Currently, the commission has a range of policies which inform its regulatory decisions for example in relation to absentee action, apportionments, decrofting of house sites and subletting but these are and must be applied consistently across the crofting counties and do not therefore always have regard to local needs and expectations.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the extent of area-based policies, as provided for in the Draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill, has been determined.

Rhona Brankin: There is scope for developing area based policies in all parts of the crofting counties. It is intended that area based policies should be developed for discrete and identifiable geographic areas. The size of the area within which a particular set of area policies should apply ought to be determined by the crofting communities involved. A township is the smallest identifiable unit into which crofts are aggregated and is therefore the smallest possible unit for which it seems appropriate to devise specific policies. However, in practice, I would expect area policies to be devised and applied to much larger communities than single townships.

Crofting

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases handled by the Crofters Commission are disputed by crofters and have been submitted for consideration by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Rhona Brankin: Since the creation of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman in September 2002, five cases handled by the Crofters Commission have been submitted for consideration by the Ombudsman. Three of these cases were closed by the Ombudsman after preliminary investigation. Two cases remain open and under investigation. As from 2004 these figures have been published in the Crofters Commission Annual Report.

Housing

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what locations have been confirmed for building new homes under the Homestake scheme.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  
New homes in the following locations are planned under the Homestake shared equity scheme:
Aberdeen 
  Auchenback, East Renfrewshire
  Aviemore
  Carluke
  Carrbridge
  Clydebank 
  Cumbernauld
  Dalry, Dumfries and Galloway
  Dundee 
  Dunfermline 
  Dunoon
  Edinburgh 
  Fort William 
  Gorebridge
  Greenlaw, East Renfrewshire
  Hamilton 
  High Valleyfield
  Inverness (eight schemes)
  Isle of Islay 
  Kelty
  Kilmarnock 
  Kilmichael, Argyll and Bute
  Kingussie
  Kirkintilloch (two schemes)
  Kirkmichael, Argyll and Bute
  Livingston 
  Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire
  Newmachar, Aberdeenshire
  Newtongrange
  Perth and Kinross (two schemes)
  Portlethen 
  Portree
  Rothesay
  South Angus
  Springside, North Ayrshire
  Taynuilt, Argyll and Bute
  Thurso (two schemes)


  Other areas are likely to benefit from the scheme in the future when new development opportunities arise.

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans ministers have to extend the provisions of Part 2 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to urban areas with populations of over 10,000 and whether it will provide details and any estimated timescale.

Rhona Brankin: There are no present plans to do so.

Planning Bill

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between (a) its Environment and Rural Affairs Department and (b) the Crofters Commission and the Minister for Communities regarding the implications of the proposed Planning Bill for the development of common grazings.

Rhona Brankin: No formal discussions have taken place as of yet, however, I am due to meet with Malcolm Chisholm to discuss these issues on 19 October.

Social Inclusion

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which members of the boards of Social Inclusion Partnerships are members of the Labour Party.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to reply.

  Her response is as follows:

  
The former Social Inclusion Partnerships have now been integrated with Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) and details of the political  affiliations of CPP members are not held centrally. This information may be obtainable from individual CPPs via the relevant local authority in their capacity as lead body for community planning.